A Tribute to Ate Mau

Last night, I attended the wake of a friend and a sister in Christ, Ate Mau. We were not really that close in a very deep level but I can say that she is one of my first friends in LAMI- Manila. She was one of my team-mates in Makati Outreach, during my early days in the ministry back in 2011, so I was able to get to know her personally. Then she got transferred to another ministry area so our interactions became less and less but we still try to greet each other and talk a little whenever we get a chance during sunday service or DIPF. And then in the past two years, she was given an assignment in her work to stay in Africa for several months so I no longer get to see her that often. My knowledge of her whereabouts became limited to what she only posts in facebook, until I learned about her death.

And so last Tuesday, I was really shocked when I read her sister’s post about her sudden and untimely death. I was really in a trance for a while when I learned about her death because how can a woman who is at the prime of her health and of her life can die so suddenly? And she’s really serving God so how can God take away her life so easily when He knows that her life can still be of great use in His Kingdom?! Yes, I know that God is Sovereign and we cannot question Him but I just really can’t help asking these questions.

I’ve seen a number of death of people I know this year but despite our limited interaction, Ate Mau’s death has the greatest impact on me. Hers is the only death that gave me real sadness and grief. It’s maybe because we belong to the same body of Christ and we are connected in Spirit so her death is truly a loss for all of us.

And because God knows how much I can’t get over with her death (and to think that her death is still a mystery to us because the doctors don’t even know the sickness that lead to her death), I was surprised at the message of my Quiet Time yesterday:

“Show me, Lord , my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. (Psalm 39:4-5)

I believe this is God’s clear answer to my question. Truly our life is but a breath so it’s really important to make everyday count. Ate Mau’s life is a reminder that life is really short and once God executed His plan about our life, we can’t do anything about it. So it’s up to us how can we make the most out of it and make sure that we live it according to His will.

Looking at the brighter side, the death of Ate Mau has still became a blessing. She became a real life example of God’s sovereignty to any man’s life. And looking at the fb messages of the people who has been touched by her short stay here on earth, I can see that hers is a life well-lived. And the greatest comfort we have is the knowledge that she’s home now. She’s now face-to-face with our Lord and we know that will see her again very soon.

Thank you, Lord for the life of Ate Mau. Please tell her that I will surely miss her.